Means for the support, protection, and training of fruit and other trees



Jan. 31, 1933. DAVEY I 1,895,753

MEANS FOR THE SUPPORT, PROTECTION, AND TRAINING OF FRUIT AND OTHER TREES Filed Aug. 20, 1931 Patented Jan. 31", 19 33 UNITED STATES A ENT OFF CE MASON DAVEY, 0F MAP'U 'A, NELSON, NEW ZEALANI) 1 MEANS r03 THE SUPPORT, rno'rncrron, annjraa nrne'or rau rr imp em;

Application filed August 20, 1931, Serial Nb. 558,246, and in New zealanq may 20, 1,93 I

This invention has been devised with the object of providing means whereby the branches of a fruit or other tree may be supported or stayed against liability of damage throu h overweight thereof, or by reason of its sul jection to heavy winds which would cause excessive swaying thereof, or damage through any of the causes that commonly affect the trees, and particularly fruit trees during the bearing and ripening of the fruit. The means devised also are of such a nature as will provide for the several branches of a tree being supported and held in any desired relative positions as to spacing apart around the trunk, this provision allowing for the training of the tree in its growth and spread of its branches, and also serving to'protect one branch from the other during the fruit bearing period and opening up the branches to the admission of sunshine to the fruit there- It is a commonly used expedient to support the branches of a tree by means of a rope or wire passed round beneath them and then tightened and its ends secured so that the tree is bound thereby. This method is however liable to cause damage to the branches by the liability of the rope or wire to cut or chafe the branches and also will tend to bunch the branches without any regard to their distances apart so that rubbing one upon the other and crowding together is liable in windy weather, with the result that fruit is lost or damaged.

The present invention provides means for use in conjunction with the tree encircling or binding wire by which the tree branches are effectually protected against any possi bility of being chafed or cut by the wire and are moreover capable of being spaced at arbitrary distances apart upon the wire and retained in their spaced relationship.

These means comprise, for each branch, a small plate of metal or other suitable rigid material, that is bent lengthwise to form a curve that will fit upon the branch and which is made with a tongue, or tongues, that will provide for it being supported upon the said encircling wire. By constructing such wire with loops in it at appropriate intervals with which the tongue or tongues on the plate make a l i em nt, he Pla the branches of a tree resting'therein may be tions.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is an outside elevation,

Figure 2 an end elevation, V Figure .3 a sectional end elevation, and Figure 4 a plan of a preferred form of sup- Porting Plate.

spaced apart and heldin such spaced posie F 'g an uts e el vat on gian alte native construction of the plateshown in Figures 1 to 4. v y a Figure-6 is a similar view ofa further alternative form adapted for use by a suspension method. i i i I Figure 7 is .a diagram of length 0f Wil suitable for use with the appliances, v

Figure v8 is,a sketch illustrative of the manner of using the invention;

-The supporting device vforming the pr'i'nci; pal feature of the invention is made Qdfla rectangular plate A of metal Of otherrigid material of suitable nature, but preferably of a galvanized'or rust proof metal. is curved longitudinally so that it may he placed on the curve of a'tree branch to neatly thereon and to form a rest for such branch. The upper and lower edges of the plate are given a slight outward 'curvefas. shown more particularly in Figures Qand ,3 in order that when a branch is resting in the device these edges will .be free irom any liability of cutting into the branch when the weight of the branch is caused to bear down,-

wardly on the device.

In the formshown in Figures 1 plate, at its centre has -atongue Bstamped out therefrom and then bent" backward .for.

a distance and downwardly again so thata hook is formed projecting from fih @Qfifitfi plane ofthe plate andentending downwards ly. Or this tongue may be made, as' 'shovvnly in ur y ut p s rem th bo t twin edge of the plate and bending the tongue W rearwardly to form ahook in similar manner.

In the use of these devices, the branches of the tree to be supported are encircled by the wire C and for each'branch one'of the lates is provided and hooked upon the wire y causing the wire to pass on its outside and beneath its tongue B and thus to engage the branch and to support it upon the wire. In

order to prevent any possibility of the device becoming free of the wire the'tongue B may be formed with aninward bend B at'about half way in its height. The wire will then be sprung up beneath this bend and be retained 1 between it and the top of the tongue. V

By employinga wire band made as shown in F-igure 7 with loops -D at-intervals in its .length formed by twisting two wires together 7 and leaving untwisted lengths at intervals" 4 (which is an article of manufacturenow' well known), the tongues B of the devices may be passed intoloops thereof and thereby serve I to keep, the devices from sliding alongthe band. Consequently the branches of a tree a may have their supportsdisposed at any desired intervals apart around the band, to space them in the manner and for the purposes described. I

p In these instances the band encircles the branches and holds them up from beneath. The-formpf device shown inFigure 6 is adapted for use in a system under which the V band is in'sidethe branches and the branches arejsupported by being suspended thereon.

In this case the supporter plate is made on its two edges with the tongues E] to engage the wire by hooking overit the branch then being held between the plate and the wire. i a

I claim i 1'. Means for use branches of frfuit and other trees, comprising in claim 1, a band formed 'withclosed loops the combination with a wire bandencircling the tree, of aplate of rigid material shaped to curve'about its major axis and having a tongue stamped out therefrom parallel to its greatest dimension to extend downwardly .overits outer convex side so that the said band may pass beneath it, said tongue being shaped to extend parallel with the plate and having an inward ledge or bend across it at a point in its Vheightsuch that it is adapted to spring over the band when the band is placed beneath the tongue.

branches of fruit and other trees as recited at intervals in its length each of which loops is adapted toreceive the tongue of one of the said plates, one bight of said 100p. being clipped to the plate by said band. 3.: In means for usein supporting the branches of fruit and other trees accOrdingY to claim 1, outwardly curved, upper and lower edges on said plate.

7 In testimony whereof; I afiix my signature.

MASON DAVEY.

in supporting the,

2. In the means for use in supporting the 

